Ripple Effect
by Sassybratt
Summary: AU: When Inuyasha returns from a seven year long absence, he is ready to ease back into his old life. Everything seems the same; nothing out of place. Until he comes across the most important person to his heart.
1. Seven Years Ago

A/N: Hello, my lovely readers. Yes, this is a new story from me, and no, I haven't forgotten about my ongoing fics. They're in the works, I promise. But I also promised that this story would be out this summer, and I couldn't wait any longer. Although I do have a few chapters written out in advance, this will still be sort of slow moving. I want to try and get my other stories done first before completely diving into this one. But anyways, enough of my rambling. Let me know what you think.

**Ripple Effect  
>Chapter 1: Seven Years Ago<strong>

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><p><em>Never say goodbye, because goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting.<em>

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><p>The time had come. This was what she had been working toward for the past two months. Her fingers ached with blisters and her muscles were sore from constant use. A light breeze swept through the courtyard, brushing against her ebony hair and relieving her of the summer's heat. A drop of sweat glistened in the sunlight as it slid down her temple, and she licked her dry lips in concentration.<p>

Her agate eyes watched the moving target carefully as it sped back and forth, trying to avoid her gaze. The bow she held in her left hand was crafted of the finest wood, given to her as a gift years ago. She placed an arrow in tune with the taunt wire as she gripped it. She remembered the long and hot days in which her fingers would bleed from countless training, but it did not matter. Her father had always been beside her, encouraging her, causing her to love the sport.

Even today, her dad sat in the background, quiet as a mouse, watching closely as his daughter attempted such a feat. She drew in a breath as her stance formed perfection. She recalled every detail, every angle her joints were supposed to move, down to the degree. Her elbow bent as she pulled back the cord, feeling it become tighter with increasing distance. She swallowed as she peered down the arrow, her index finger guiding its path to her designated mark. If she could manage to be successful, she would no longer have to be subjected to the lowly, untrained archers, who couldn't tell an arrow from a bow.

Seeing her chance, she planted her feet firmly in the ground and began to release her hold …

"Kagome!" a boy shouted, startling her out of her trance.

She screamed in surprise, watching her perfect form dissipate as the arrow shot forth, digging into the ground a few feet before her intended goal. Her hopes were dashed, and her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Oh no …"

A young woman standing behind her took a few steps forward. "I'm sorry, Kagome, but we are out of time."

Her eyes turned wide. "Oh please, Ms. Kaede, would you let me try once more?"

Her mentor, ever lovely with her dark-brown hair, smiled at the poor girl. "The sun is setting on the horizon. One is unable to shoot correctly in the dark without proper training. I suggest you come back tomorrow when the sun is high."

Kagome's pleading gaze dropped, knowing the elder archer was right. "Yes, ma'am," she replied solemnly.

Kaede's smile softened as she looked over the distraught girl. "Do not fret, Kagome," she soothed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You still have much time to perfect your stance." It seemed to quell the girl's disappointment for the time being. Kaede had been a master at the art of shooting arrows when she was young, but in her later years, an accident with her now-deceased sister rendered her right eye useless, dispelling a great amount of her arching abilities. She instead took up the job of teaching others the sport and although she took on many students, Kagome always captivated her with such determination and talent. "I shall see you tomorrow afternoon?"

The ten-year-old shook her head. "No, my mom and dad are taking my brother and me to the carnival," she replied, frustration lacing her tone. "But I promise to be back soon!" She bowed politely and waited for her mentor to take her leave, an air of wisdom lingering behind.

Kagome sighed dejectedly and looked out into the field where her lone arrow had dug into the ground. The sky had turned red as the sun began to dip below the horizon. She had spent all day practicing the same stance and technique. It was rather disconcerting to end the day with failure. But as Ms. Kaede had said, she was still young and had plenty of time to perfect her technique.

Finally over the loss of the matter, her depression flared to annoyance as she glanced behind her. "What do you want, Inuyasha?" she demanded sharply, glaring at the boy who had been standing back curiously as Kagome was excused from class.

He flashed a smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after you were done."

"You interrupted me while I was arching," she reprimanded, turning to face him and placing her hands on her hips. "That was a really important shot for me. If I had made it, I would have been able to move up to the advance class. And you ruined it!" She threw her hands up in the air and let loose a growl of frustration before stomping out into the field, mindful of the potholes and rocks littering the grass.

Inuyasha chased after her. "Sorry, Kags, I didn't mean to." He began to pick up numerous arrows strewn about, hoping to quell the rage burning within her.

She pivoted on her foot and narrowed her eyes. "I didn't ask for your help!" she shouted.

He put his hands up in a manner of peace while dropping the arrows at his feet. His silver hair shifted in the breeze. The smile faded and a hint of hurt crossed his gaze. "I said I was sorry."

A moment passed before she finally sighed. Her features softened, all trace of anger gone from her voice. "You know how important this is to me," she said quietly, gripping the arrow tightly in her hand as her eyes stung with the threat of tears.

"I know," he lamented, rubbing the back of his neck. "But let me make it up to you. How about we go out for some ice cream?" Try as she might, she couldn't resist his hopeful amber eyes or genuine sincerity and soon found her fury diminishing.

"Sure," she replied with a smile. As she turned around, she was enveloped into a hug and immediately returned the gesture. "Daddy!"

"I'm so proud of you, Kaggie," he whispered in her ear. "You were amazing."

Her small arms retracted from his neck, and she looked at him with a somber expression. "But I didn't make it."

A smile broadened against his lips as he took her hands in his. "Don't worry about it. You will always have a second chance. As long as you're determined, you can do anything."

She giggled softly. "Thanks, daddy." She was unsure what exactly his words meant, but it always helped when he talked; it gave her hope that she would always be able to pull through whatever struggle she may face.

He chuckled and stood to full height. "Now, I heard you were going to get some ice cream. How about I meet you back home?"

"Okay," she replied, feeling Inuyasha's eyes on them. "I love you, daddy."

Mr. Higurashi gave his daughter a final hug before making his way to his car. When he had pulled out of sight, Inuyasha glanced at her. "Race you there."

"You're on!" Kagome laughed with glee as she tried to out run him, knowing full well he would let her win. He always did.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

The brown and white liquid trailed down the length of her wrist, dripping to crash into the red fabric below. Her brows furrowed in annoyance as she desperately tried to keep control of the melting ice cream. Even though the sun had long since left, leaving a hue of pink and purple in the sky, the humid air prevented the dessert from staying cold.

"Maybe we should have gotten cookies instead," Kagome mumbled. Seeing a trash can, she leaned over and dumped the remainder of her cone, wiping her hands against her pants. It wiped off the tasty treat, but left a trail of sticky mess behind.

Inuyasha scoffed. "I told you not to order a second one."

The girl playfully hit him on the shoulder. "Hey, it's not my fault I like ice cream."

"You better not have gotten any of that crap on me." She glanced down at his back, her eyes finding spots of brown mingled in his hair and clothes.

A sheepish smile found its way onto her face. "It'll come out," she assured.

"Kagome!" he shouted, stopping and glaring over his shoulder at the girl on his back.

"I agree with her," a brunette girl said, dumping her strawberry treat. "Ice cream is so messy in the summer."

"Well, I for one love the hot weather. It means less clothing for the ladies." Both girls sent the boy a heated glare, trying their best to ignore his perverted comments. Even at the tender age of eleven, thanks to his lecherous guardian, Miroku had developed a mind which always held a risqué remark or thought.

"You lecher," Inuyasha growled. "Learn to keep your thoughts to yourself."

"He's right," Kagome replied with a frown. "We don't need to hear what you're thinking."

"Oh, come on," he said with a smile. "You're thinking it, too. I'm the only one brave enough to say it aloud, is all."

The brunette scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Right, Miroku. We all have our minds in the gutter."

His grin widened in victory. "Thank you, my dear Sango, for admitting it. Takes a lot of courage to say something like that."

With an infuriated expression, she turned and hit him over the head. He yelped on impact and immediately began rubbing the offended spot, dropping his ice cream in the process. "I think she was being sarcastic," Kouga mumbled, his cerulean eyes alight with laughter.

"Poor Miroku," Kagome said, glancing over her shoulder while locking her arms around Inuyasha's neck. The perverted boy had dropped his dessert and was now sulking because of his misfortune. "Do you think we were too hard on him?"

"Not a chance," Kouga replied in a sure tone. "That kids gotta learn how to treat a woman." With this remark, he grasped Kagome's hand in his.

Inuyasha intervened. "Cut the crap, ya flea bag," he growled, walking further away from him to avoid contact. "You haven't even reached puberty yet."

He flushed and frowned in embarrassment before folding his arms and keeping silent.

Kagome pointedly ignored the banter between them. "Come on, Inuyasha. Curfew was ten minutes ago. Mama is going to be mad."

He scowled and turned in the direction of her house. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "I'm goin'." He smirked and, without warning, began running at full speed.

A scream tore itself from her lips as she whipped backwards before clutching his shoulders with her hands. She burrowed her face into his back as the wind whipped around her. His pace seemed to even out as she loosened up, closing her eyes against the breeze. Laughter rang through the night as she held her hands above her head, knowing she was perfectly safe. Inuyasha would never let her fall.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. One glance at those molten orbs proved he wasn't lying.

Kagome shook her head in disbelief as the young man before her finished. Inuyasha had returned later that evening, ushering Kagome into her room to tell her the news. His expression was crestfallen, instantly giving the young girl a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She refused to sit and begged him to tell her what was wrong. He uttered two words; two simple words that would change her life forever. "I'm moving." She could have sworn her heart stopped beating.

A moment of intense silence passed. "You can't move," she finally whispered. His mournful gaze found hers. "You just can't."

Unwillingly, tears fell down her cream-colored cheeks, dripping soundlessly off her chin. Inuyasha cautiously brought her into a hug, trying desperately to stop the raven-haired girl from crying. "Please … please don't cry," he mumbled into her hair. At his request, her frame stopped shaking and she glanced up at him.

Eyes, already red, searched his amber spheres for some indication he was joking. "Why?" It was a simple question that held so many possible answers.

Inuyasha dropped his arms from around her and sat on the bed, placing his head in his hands, resting his elbows atop his knees. He sighed before answering. "My father," he spoke, his voice strong yet broken. "He wants to expand our company. All the way in the United States."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. "The United States?" she questioned, her eyes widening. "That's half-way around the world!"

"I know," he responded, glancing up at the tear-stricken girl. She took in his weary gaze. The young boy had fought all night in an effort to change his father's mind. Without another word, Kagome sat next to him on her bed, focusing her eyes on her fidgeting hands.

"What am I going to do without you?" Tears threatened to fall once more, but she refused to cry. She had to stay strong, at least for now.

"What do you mean?" he scoffed, covering up his pain with a feigned attitude. "You'll still have Sango and Miroku, and that wretched Kouga. Don't worry, we'll keep in touch. Someday, I'll be back. You'll see." He gave her one of his infamous smirks and crossed his arms.

She could see right through his tough exterior. Deep down, he was hurting just as much as she was. After all, they had been best friends since they were little. But for now, she would play along with his little charade. "Yeah," she whispered, forcing a small smile. "You're right." Wiping her tear-stained cheeks, the young girl knew in her heart that it was highly unlikely. Yet, it was okay to hope. Wasn't it?

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Do you have everything?" InuTaisho asked his youngest son. Earning a curt nod in return, he turned away from the moping child. His golden eyes held weariness from constantly battling with Inuyasha. The boy just couldn't understand the reason behind his decision.

Giving one last box to Sesshomaru, the founder of the Tetsusaiga Corporation briskly made his way over to his wife. "Izayoi," he murmured, so the children would not over hear.

"Yes, dear," she responded, sweeping a strand of dark hair over her shoulder.

"Do you mind telling your son to show some respect? He hasn't spoken to me in a week." He folded his arms across his broad chest, his gaze hard and even.

"Well," her voice soothed. "You are taking him away from everything he's ever known. Give it some time. It's going to be a drastic change for all of us, especially Inuyasha." She gave him a sweet smile and rested her palm against his cheek. "You'll see. Soon enough, he'll be acting like his old self." With a feather-light kiss, she withdrew her hand and turned to continue her packing.

InuTaisho merely grunted in response before resuming his duties. He directed the last of the boxes into the moving truck. With everything secured, the Takahashi's turned to say goodbye. Their friends and neighbors had all come to bid farewell and a few moments were spent with tears and smiles.

"So, I guess this is it," Kagome whispered, refusing to meet the young boy's face. Inuyasha took her hand in his and rubbed it soothingly. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Keh, 'course you will," he scoffed, keeping up appearances. His eyes traced over his friend's delicate features; the way her brown eyes could drown a person in their depths, her rose petal lips always smiling, and her wavy locks of hair falling softly over her shoulders.

"I'll miss you," she said, finally meeting his gaze. She threw herself at him, grasping onto the fabric of his clothing.

He sighed. "I'll miss you, too, Kags." He held her for a moment before pushing her away. "All right, stop with the mushy stuff." Kagome saw his playful smile and giggled in response, wiping away her tears.

"Hey, Yash," Miroku called, running over to the group.

"Well, what do ya know? The lecher actually made it," Inuyasha said with his hands on his hips, causing Kagome to hit him softly in the arm.

"Yeah, well if it wasn't for Sango, I would have been here a lot sooner." The dark-haired boy heaved a few breaths as he stopped before his friends.

"Hey! It's not my fault my kickboxing class ran late!" The brunette showed up seconds later, a scowl implemented on her face. She folded her arms across her chest and her bottom lip jutted out in a pout.

Miroku glanced at the gray, form-fitting tank-top and black lounge pants. "And the lessons are paying off quite well, I assure."

The comment earned him a slap across the face. "Give it a rest already, would you?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Oh, Sango, just for one moment can you reveal your true feelings of love to me?"

"I don't love you!" the brunette screamed, clenching her hands into fists at her sides as her eyes burned with rage.

"Whatever you say, Sango," Kagome mumbled, waving aside the death glare her friend threw her. "Hey, where's Kouga?" she asked suddenly, noticing his absence.

"Who cares? I don't want to see that flea bag." Just as Kagome opened her mouth to reprimand him for using such language against her friend, she was interrupted.

"Inuyasha, let's go!" InuTaisho's voice rumbled through the quaint neighborhood. The four friends winced from the volume before turning their eyes to the young boy.

"See ya," Miroku said, his face solemn. Mushin, his guardian, stood a few paces back with a bottle of sake in one hand as he beckoned Miroku to follow.

Sango came up and wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's waist. "Take care," she whispered in his ear. "And don't you dare forget about us." She gave him a playful glare before waving goodbye and running off to her parents and little brother.

Inuyasha looked at the girl before him, his heart clenching in pain. "Don't worry about me, Inuyasha." Kagome wrapped her slender arms around his torso. "You'll always be my best friend. Never forget that." She closed her eyes, trying to pretend it was all a dream. That her best friend, since before she could remember, wasn't moving halfway around the world.

But when he wrapped his arms around her, Kagome knew this was no dream. It was a nightmare; one she would never wake up from. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Don't cry," Inuyasha pleaded. "I'll keep in touch, I promise. And I'll visit as much as I can." He gave her a half-hearted smile while wiping away a stray tear.

She faked a smile in response and stepped away from him. "Goodbye, Inuyasha."

"Bye, Kagome." With those parting words, he backed up to the limo awaiting them. InuTaisho ushered his wife and eldest son into the sleek black limousine before sliding in himself. Inuyasha took one last glance at the parting crowd before shutting the door behind him.

He shifted in his seat to stare out the back window as the car slowly pulled away. The windows were tinted so no one could see him from the outside. His eyes, however, could see the young girl standing at the edge of the street. Kagome stood on her tip-toes, waving her hand drastically in the air above her head. Tears streamed down her sunshine face and her lips formed in a pout. He absentmindedly waved back, the threat of tears building in his eyes.

Kagome continued to wave until the car drove out of sight. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and glanced up into her mother's kind eyes. "Come on, Kagome," she cooed, soothing her child's aching heart. "Let's go inside." She grasped her daughter's hand and led the grieving girl up the long flight of stairs to their family shrine.

A man waited, his eyes full of concern, as he knelt down to embrace his daughter. Her five-year-old brother looked on curiously beside them. "He's … he's coming back, right daddy?" The man only made shushing noises, trying not to upset the already distraught girl.

"Someday, Kaggie, someday." The small family of four entered the humble abode, closing the door behind them.


	2. Old Friends

A/N: Yes, here is the next chapter, my dear readers. I'm trying to work on my other fics, I swear. Its just easier said then done. Enjoy.

**Ripple Effect  
>Chapter 2: Old Friends<strong>

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><p><em>Moving on is simple. It's what you leave behind that makes it difficult.<em>

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><p>The sun shined brightly over the city of Tokyo. A light breeze drifted through the channel of tall buildings and clouds were absent in the cerulean sky. People bustled down the sidewalks as the sounds of traffic crowded the streets.<p>

A man stepped out of his red Honda NSX and peered up at the skyscraper towering over him. He shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand as the wind toyed with his silver hair, causing strands to brush gently against his cheeks. His amber eyes traced over the gold lettering on the glass entrance doors before him, and then he allowed his gaze to stray to the surrounding city. His thoughts lingered on the loud noises and large crowds, recalling memories from days long past.

It felt so foreign. After all, it had been seven years since Inuyasha had last stepped foot in this place. Memories of a smiling girl swirled through his mind, accompanied by the voices of childhood. Laughter rang in his ears, and he couldn't help the small smile that touched his lips.

"Sir?" the doorman called, startling the silver-haired man from his reverie.

Inuyasha's brows furrowed in annoyance as he peered at the young man and a scowl replaced his innocent smile. "Keh, grab the bags, would ya?" He watched as the doorman scrambled to do as he was told. He must have been a new employee to be so out of sorts, and his boyish appearance put his age as early as a first-year high school student.

The young business man rolled his eyes. Of all the people to greet him when he returned, this was the best his brother could do? Grabbing one of the duffel bags, he led the way into the Tetsusaiga Corporation.

The floors were made of the finest marble and a sleek metallic desk stood on the opposite side of the large room. A few people in striking business suits milled about the lobby and pictures were diligently spaced along the walls. Black leather couches were stationed around the room, accompanied by metallic coffee tables and plenty of greenery.

"Surprised there's not a damn fountain," Inuyasha grumbled, mentally cursing whoever designed the lobby.

"Good day, Mr. Takahashi," an overly cheerful voice greeted him as he stepped up to the receptionist's desk. "Welcome."

He dropped his bag on the floor with a thud and leaned his arm against the desktop. "Don't call me that," he snapped, sending her a heated glare.

The young woman behind the desk had dark-brown hair, and her agate eyes shined with happiness. Although she seemed perky, Inuyasha could tell her smile was strained, as if she had been there for several hours under the watchful eyes of paperwork.

Her eyes widened with slight surprise at his outburst, but she quickly collected herself. "Of course, Inuyasha," she apologized with a small bow of her head. "My mistake."

Their exchange was interrupted by the doorman's yelp as he waddled up to the counter and unceremoniously fell, bringing Inuyasha's luggage with him.

"Watch it!" the young business man hollered. "There could be breakables in there!"

The receptionist gasped and ran around the desk to assist the poor man. "Oh, Hojo!" She knelt down beside him as he sat up, rubbing his head in the process. "Are you all right?"

He grinned sheepishly as a blush dusted his cheeks. "I'm okay, Rin. Just a bit clumsy is all."

"You should really be more careful." She giggled and stood up, holding out a hand for the young man to take.

Inuyasha glared at the doorman with disgust. Why did everyone have to be so incompetent? Surely Sesshomaru hadn't been the one to hire the idiot. Nothing was short of perfection for him.

He watched as Hojo stood and the smile slipped off his face as he met Inuyasha's intense glare. "My sincerest apologies, Mr. Takahashi," Hojo said, bowing low at the waist. "It won't happen again."

"Whatever, Hobo," Inuyasha replied with a bitter roll of his eyes.

Rin returned to her station behind the desk and pulled out a key-card. She kept a wary eye on Hojo, watching as he collected the baggage once more. "Sorry about that, Inuyasha. Hojo only started a few weeks ago. He may be clumsy, but he's a really nice guy."

"Does it look like I care?" he asked, taking the key from her hand.

A bemused smile touched her lips. "No, of course not. All that aside, please allow my coworker to escort you to your new office." She gestured with her hand to a small, old man, who seemed to wear a permanent scowl.

Inuyasha appeared skeptical. "That old toad's gonna bring up my things?" he inquired bluntly, raising a brow at the small man.

"No, Hojo will be taking care of your luggage. But the 'old toad's' name is Jaken," the receptionist said quietly. "I would watch what you say around him. He can get pretty angry."

"He doesn't scare me," he muttered, slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder. "Just tell Hobo to be more careful with the merchandise."

She covered her mouth and giggled. "Consider it done," she replied. "I'll call you for your morning wakeup call tomorrow. You'll be meeting with your brother at nine o'clock."

"_Half_-brother," he corrected her with a sneer before following after the toad-looking man.

"Have a nice day, Inuyasha!" Rin called, beaming him a smile.

He rolled his eyes and threw her a wave.

While Jaken grumbled incoherently on their way to the elevator, Inuyasha lazily peered around the elegant hallway. The walls sported royal purple and scattered lamps sent a soft glow about the room.

"Your office is on the forty-ninth floor," Jaken mumbled as they reached the elevator's sleek metallic doors. He pressed the button to call the car.

"Forty-ninth floor?" Inuyasha retaliated in a loud voice. "Why the hell am I up so high?"

"Have manners, you ungrateful dog," Jaken snapped back, tightening his hand around a rather large walking stick. "You're lucky Mr. Takahashi and Mr. Sesshomaru are allowing you into the business!"

"Keh, as if I should be thankful," Inuyasha growled as the doors opened and they stepped into the car. "It's not like I want to be here anyways."

"This is a fine company to be a part of," the small man lectured, folding his arms across his chest. "Your father is a renowned business man, who has changed the world of weapons engineering as we know it. If it wasn't for his intellect and fine business skills, you would still be eating Ramen in front of a box-sized television, and the world would be in a barbaric state."

The car continued to rise as a yelp sounded through the compartment. "Shut your trap, will ya?" Inuyasha demanded, holding up a clenched fist in a threatening manner.

Jaken rubbed the sore spot on his head from Inuyasha's punch, before turning around to glare at him. "You should know that I am Sesshomaru's personal assistant. He will not tolerate unruly behavior, even on your behalf! If only your mother had taught you correct mannerism—"

His insult was cut off as Inuyasha wrapped his fist around the hem of Jaken's shirt and slammed him into the wall. "Don't talk about my mother," he growled, his glare intensifying ten-fold. "I don't want to hear another fucking word out of your damn mouth, you got that?"

Jaken's bug eyes widened even further as he wrapped his small hands around Inuyasha's wrist, trying in vain to pull the man off of him.

The elevator bell dinged as they reached their floor and Jaken was prominently dropped to the ground, sputtering to regain breath. "Your father will hear of this!" he threatened as the elevator doors shut between him and Inuyasha.

Breathing an exasperated sigh, the young business man reveled in the silent hallway as he walked toward his room. It was just like his father to associate business with pleasure, creating a make-shift home within the towering skyscraper. Inuyasha was thankful he made secret arraignments on an apartment building not far from work, where he could escape to if his brother became too overwhelming. However, because he had yet to inherit his portion of the company, and his father still held him under watchful eyes, Inuyasha was forced to spend most of his time in his office on the higher floor reserved for important guest.

He blamed his brother for this predicament. Even if Sesshomaru had saved his ass, Inuyasha was sure to suffer for years to come.

Shaking his head to clear the annoying thoughts, he slid the card through the key holder and let himself in.

The room was everything he expected it to be. From the plasma screen television to the king-size sofa, Inuyasha wasn't even fazed. His father and half-brother were all about image, even when it came to their personal working facilities out of view of the public eye. They had to have the best of the best, one thing that Inuyasha was grateful for.

He didn't bother looking throughout his new, spacious office, or waiting for Hojo to bring up the remainder of his luggage. Inuyasha simply threw his duffel bag on his large, wooden desk, grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-refrigerator, and turned to leave. There were more important things to attend to, leaving no time for jet-lag.

It had been seven years since he had stepped foot near his childhood home. He wasn't about to waste even a moment before reconciling with his old friends. Besides, there was a certain raven-haired girl he was dying to see again.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Inuyasha drove to the outskirts of the city. Trees lined the street as skyscrapers faded into small businesses and houses. The wind whipped through his hair as his eyes scanned the scenery, watching as people walked their dogs and children played in their driveways. Familiar places sped past, bringing forth buried memories: The park he used to play hide-and-seek at, the grocery store he was almost banned from because of a mishap as a kid, and the tree he crashed his bike into during the fourth grade. He smiled, already feeling the tempest within him calm as he pressed down on the accelerator, eager to reach his destination.

Turning a final corner, he slowed to a crawl until stopping in front of a large staircase leading up to a shrine. It had changed since he last seen it. The steps were crumbling with disrepair and vines covered the red _Torii _arch framing the top.

He frowned at the state of the place as he stepped out of his car, glancing over the dying vegetation and broken pieces. Slowly and with great caution, he made his way up the large staircase and into the courtyard beyond. What he saw caused his heart to skip a beat.

Much had changed since he had last set eyes on the Sunset Shrine. The luscious green lawn had become barren and trees withered under the relentless sun. A few dead leaves blew across the pavement as the wind howled softly around him, leaving a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

When Inuyasha turned his gaze to the house, it was in worse shape than the surrounding property. Boards covered up the windows and door, and black burns marred the russet exterior. It appeared as if something dreadful had happened, leaving the old shrine abandoned and decayed.

A lump stuck in his throat as Inuyasha tried to process what it all meant. The home in which Kagome grew up in was in horrible condition, leaving him to believe her life had been in danger. His thoughts flickered to the worst case scenario, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest.

"Can't think like that," he mumbled aloud, listening to the shakiness of his voice. With a determined expression, he swiftly patrolled the grounds, looking for clues or evidence of hope that his best friend was unharmed.

He peered through one of the windows and narrowed his eyes to get a better view of the dark interior. Dust covered the glass, obscuring his view, but there wasn't much to see anyways. There was very little furniture remaining and broken glass littered the charred floor.

After a good twenty minutes, Inuyasha found the rest of the shrine to be in a similar state. The only building that was still intact was the old well-house, strangely unharmed by whatever caused such destruction.

Frustrated, the young business man quickly made his way down the long flight of steps and back into his car, immediately having another destination in mind. Since there was no trace of Kagome, or her new whereabouts, there were only two people he could think of who would give him some answers.

His eyes fervently scanned the numbers on the houses as he entered a quaint neighborhood, reaching into the recesses of his mind for the four digits he needed. He finally pulled alongside a brick house and turned the car off. Unlike the shrine, this property still bloomed with life. A skateboard had been forgotten in the grass and a light shone from the open kitchen window. Slamming the car door shut, he began trudging up the driveway.

"Hurry your ass up, Miroku, or we're going to be late!" a woman called as she walked down the driveway beside a 2002 silver Mirage. A duffel bag was slung over her left shoulder as she fiddled with a ring of keys with her right hand. She was slender and slightly muscular, a figure only a fighter would have. Her brown hair was pulled up into a pony-tail, and Inuyasha could never mistake the chestnut eyes that locked with his.

"Hey," he greeted with a bemused smirk, watching her eyes widen with disbelief. She gaped at him with utter surprise, and her keys fell to the pavement with a soft clink.

"Sango, do you not understand how heavy your gear is?" A man with dark hair pulled back into a short pony-tail rounded the backside of the car. "I don't know why you insist on bringing weights in the … first place"

His voice trailed off as he took in the sight of the silver-haired man, his surprised expression mirroring the woman beside him.

Inuyasha furrowed his brows in annoyance as his two childhood friends simply stared at him. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," he growled, crossing his arms.

Sango shook out of her stupor. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized, the shock never leaving her face. "I'm just—"

"Inuyasha," Miroku murmured with a grin. "What a surprise."

He rolled his eyes. "Some greeting," he scoffed. "Thought you'd be happy to see me."

The brunette blinked. "Inuyasha, you're in Tokyo," she whispered, disbelief flitting through her eyes.

"No shit," he grumbled. "Thanks for stating the obvious."

Miroku heaved Sango's bags into the trunk of her car before turning back to his old friend. "I believe what Sango is trying to say is that we held doubt you would return."

He glared at the pair. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sango quickly wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her nose into his chest to inhale the scent he still carried even after all those years apart. The show of affection coming from the girl unnerved Inuyasha. The only other time she had hugged him had been the day he left for the States.

She pulled away from him after a brief moment and looked up into his eyes with a small smile. "You don't know how happy I am to see you." A blush dusted across Inuyasha's nose as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Miroku, acutely aware of the pressing time, quickly looked at his watch. "I'd hate to break up this reunion so soon, but Sango, if we don't leave now, you'll be late."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, remembering what they were doing moments earlier. She threw her last bag into the trunk and closed the lid before throwing the keys to Miroku. "I have a Judo tournament today," she explained. "Did you want to come?"

Inuyasha gave a half-shrug. He didn't have anything else to do. "Sure, why not."

"Excellent," Miroku piped up before starting the car. "I'm afraid, though, that you will have to follow us there. There is not enough room in Sango's car to fit a third person thanks to all of her equipment."

"We'll see you there, then?" Sango asked, hope in her eyes.

"Yeah," Inuyasha affirmed as he meandered down the driveway to his car. He turned to call back over his shoulder. "You know, I remember you when you were a kid. It'll be fun to see you kick someone else's ass besides Miroku!"

With this, Miroku pouted and mumbled a few words to Sango, who only turned a bright red, before they quickly climbed in the car. Inuyasha waited patiently until they shifted into gear and followed them to this so-called tournament. He felt excitement run through his veins as he thought of everything the three would talk about.

He was especially eager to gather more information on Kagome's whereabouts.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Nippon Budokan was a high imposing octagonal structure in the center of Tokyo. The sunlight gleamed off the golden exterior as a red sign overhead determined what entertainment was available that night. People crowded the parking lot as they ventured into the large building, and a low-hum of chatter caused electricity in the air.

Inuyasha followed Miroku and Sango into the grand venue, paying close attention as to not get lost. During childhood he had only heard of the place. His family was much too involved in the business to be concerned with entertainment such as martial arts, leaving Inuyasha feeling a little deprived.

Miroku dragged his friends into a clearing before whirling around to face them. "All right, my dear Sango," he called over the murmur of others. "This is where we part, but I promise it will not be long."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Give the theatrics a rest, will you Miroku?"

He smiled and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Good luck," he said with a wink. "I'll see you in the victory circle."

Sango released a growl of frustration before stomping off to the changing room in order to prepare herself in her _Judo Gi_.

Miroku led Inuyasha through the mass of people and up the grandstands, before finding two seats near the front. The business man took his seat and allowed his eyes to roam the large room.

"So, what's the deal with all this?" Inuyasha asked, waving his hand over the fighting arena set up in the middle. Four red squares were taped off, one in each corner, depicting the fighting rings for the evening.

Miroku shrugged. "You know that Sango has always loved to fight since she was young."

"Yeah, but I thought she was into kick-boxing," Inuyasha mused, watching as more people filled the stadium. Men in black _Judo Gi's_ were talking in a small group.

"She changed her pace," his dark-haired friend replied with a bemused smile.

A few moments passed in silence as the two watched the activity around them. Confusion flitted through Inuyasha's eyes until he finally turned toward Miroku. "What's the point?"

Miroku blinked at his question. "Do you not know of the rules, Inuyasha?"

He scowled. "I've been on the other side of the world for seven years. What the hell do you think?"

"Temperamental as always," he mused with a grin. "The rules of Judo are simple. Two opponents face off in one of the rings down there." He pointed toward the red boxes Inuyasha had noticed when they first arrived. "The first one to down their opponent and gain a point is the winner."

"That's it?" Inuyasha asked. "Everyone comes to watch two people fight?"

Miroku shook his head. "No, there is no actual fighting involved. It's more of well-placed kicks and choke-holds that bring victory. One could be given a warning if any real harm is done."

The silver-haired man crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "How long do these things usually last?"

"Depends," his friend replied as his violet eyes searched the crowd of white-clothed men and women as they exited the changing room. A sudden hush fell over the crowd as everyone finished finding their seats. "The last one Sango competed in lasted four hours."

Inuyasha gawked. "Four hours?" He ignored the warning look Miroku shot him as an order to be quiet. "We're going to be here that long?"

"Keep it down, Yash. The tournament is starting."

Amber eyes turned begrudgingly to the large playing field below, folding his arms tighter across his chest. He didn't have time to wait four hours before figuring out what happened to Kagome. He wanted information about her now! _Damn it all …_

All the fighters dressed in white stood in four rows, facing away from Inuyasha and Miroku's side of the audience. A few guys in black addressed them and rambled on about the rules and proceedings. Inuyasha didn't really pay attention, instead focusing his mind on Kagome. It probably wasn't in his best interest, as every scenario he thought up was worse than the last. He tapped his fingers against his arm impatiently.

"Sango will be fighter number thirty-three," Miroku mumbled beside him. "Which means she won't be up until round nine. That would be her first match."

"We have to wait that long until we get to see her fight?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. _Four hours my ass! I ain't waitin' that long._

"Afraid so," Miroku replied. "We might as well sit back and enjoy watching the other fighters."

Inuyasha sighed and followed Miroku's example, but it wasn't long until he took a new turn in the conversation.

"So, what have you guys been up to since I left?" he questioned, eyeing his friend.

Miroku had grown into a handsome young man. His violet eyes had darkened a shade and his midnight black hair was pulled back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. His chiseled chin and muscular features could make any girl swoon, but Inuyasha had a sneaking suspicion that Miroku loved the ladies more than they loved him.

"At the moment, everyone is applying for colleges. There is only two more months left before senior year begins, and we'd hate to fall behind." He smiled. "I don't plan on working with Mushin for the rest of my life."

Inuyasha quirked a brow. "Oh yeah, how is the old drunkard?"

"Still old and still a drunk," Miroku replied with a chuckle. "However, he is a good man and has raised me well."

"Except for the lecher part," Inuyasha grumbled.

"I am thankful for all of his teachings," his friend defended the old man with a twinkle in his eye. "They were handed down through the generations beginning from one of my ancestors in the feudal era."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Spare me the history lesson."

"Which reminds me, how was your time in the United States?" The dark-haired man turned in his seat to smile at Inuyasha, eagerness written plainly in his eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said simply, resting his chin on his hand.

Miroku appeared surprised. "Well, then may I ask why you've returned?"

He shrugged. "My father and Sesshomaru are trying to teach me the lessons of 'business etiquette'," he sneered, failing horribly at mimicking Sesshomaru's tone. "So Sesshomaru dragged me here to start teaching me how to run this branch of the company. According to my father, it'll be mine once I'm of age."

His friend whistled. "That's quite a responsibility at such a young age, don't you think?"

"Doesn't matter. I don't plan on taking over the company anyways."

"But if it's your father's will, isn't it in your best interest to follow?" Miroku asked with furrowed brows.

"Keh, as if!" Inuyasha scowled. "I barely know the old man. He's never around."

"What about your mother? Does she approve of the way your father is forcing you into the business?"

Inuyasha's eyes darkened and he withdrew from the conversation. He turned his gaze away from his friend and slumped his shoulders with defeat. "Mom's not around to do anything about it," he mumbled, anguish covering his tone.

Before Miroku could question Inuyasha further on the matter, Sango's name was called as she stepped up to the red box in the lower right hand corner. "There she is!" Miroku exclaimed, pointing her out to his down-hearted friend.

Sango walked out toward her designated fighting arena, her face set in a determined expression, as she eyed her opponent warily. It was a young man a little older than her, with dark-brown hair and emerald green eyes. They bowed respectfully low at the waist and then the referee (who Inuyasha dubbed the men in black) called for the match to begin.

Inuyasha blinked and suddenly the fight was over with Sango pinning the poor man to the ground as he tapped the mat urgently to give up. The brunette smirked in victory as the two made their way to their separate sides.

"What just happened?" Inuyasha asked dumbfounded.

"Sango just scored a _waza-ari_," Miroku pointed out. When Inuyasha only looked at him with a blank expression, he elaborated. "It means she received half a point."

"Why? She totally had the guy on the ground!" Inuyasha growled, clenching his hands into fists.

Miroku sighed. "Because, Inuyasha, she did not have a sufficient enough hold on him to gain an entire point. Weren't you listening when they spoke about the rules?"

Inuyasha glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eyes before staying silent, returning his gaze to Sango's match. Miroku only rolled his eyes with a smile.

Sango managed to win the match and advanced to the next round. In between her victory and second match, Miroku explained to Inuyasha the detailed rules of the sport. Although the business man nodded his head and asked questions, he only managed to understand the basic principles.

Before long, the brunette was up to fight again. This time her opponent was a fiery teen her own age with oddly colored red hair. In mere seconds, Sango had won her second match. The pattern continued for some time, until she reached the top ten. Then the opponents became more difficult to handle, and the matches were drawn out for longer periods of time.

Hours later, the victor was given a trophy to honor his win and everyone in the stands stood up to leave.

"That last guy pissed me off!" Inuyasha complained as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans while following Miroku down the steps. "He had to have cheated!"

"Now, now, Inuyasha," Miroku chided with a hint of a smile. "There is no reason to be a sore loser about the ordeal. We must all face loss some point in our lives."

"But Sango kicked everyone else's ass!" he exclaimed, causing his friend to chuckle.

Miroku led him out into the parking lot, where Sango met them minutes later once the crowd began to disperse. She was covered in sweat but had a smile on her face. "Hey, guys," she greeted, taking a sip from her water bottle.

"Congratulations, Sango." Miroku smiled as he took her duffel bag of clothing from her. "You were excellent and in fine fighting stance."

She narrowed her eyes at him warningly, but did not dismiss her playful smile. "Yeah, I'm pretty proud of fifth place. It's two up from last year."

Inuyasha grumbled incoherently as he watched the exchange between his friends. It was almost dark out, as the sun was just disappearing behind the tall skyscrapers surrounding them. People pushed passed them on their way out of the parking lot, eager to return home to celebrate their victories or drown their losses with sake.

They made their way to Sango's car and Miroku put her gear in the back seat. "You ready?" he asked her, opening the passenger door.

"Yeah, but I'd like to go home and change first." The fighter moved to slide into the car when a thought struck her. She turned hesitant eyes to Inuyasha. "Hey, Yash, what are your plans for the evening?"

"Keh," he scoffed. "Nothin'. Sesshomaru doesn't want me to start work until tomorrow."

Sango glanced at him questioningly. "Well, there's a party tonight in Shibuya. Miroku and I were going to head over there in about an hour. Did you want to come?" She waited patiently for his response, but the eagerness in her eyes shined through the approaching darkness.

He shrugged. "I guess. Not much else to do." As long as he was back in his office by tomorrow morning for Rin's wake-up call, there wasn't anything to worry about.

"Here's the address," Miroku said, recovering a piece of paper from the front seat and scribbling a few directions on it before handing it to him. "Just let them know we sent you."

Inuyasha nodded as his friends waved goodbye and sped off in their car, leaving him standing alone in the parking lot.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy seeing his friends again, for he did, but an unknown feeling twisted in his gut. They were just like he remembered them. Miroku still had his flirtatious ways and Sango was still as strong-willed as ever. At the same time, though, he felt a bit disconnected, as if he was an outsider looking in on another person's life. It didn't feel right, and he cursed his father once again for making them move all those years ago.

Nevertheless, he stuffed the directions to the party in his pocket as he jumped in his car. Even though he didn't have the chance to inquire about Kagome at Sango's tournament, he would be damned if he didn't force it out of them by the end of the night.


	3. As the Rain Falls Down

A/N: I know I haven't responded to all of the reviews for chapter 2, but I will get around to them, promise. Just thought you might enjoy an update first.**  
><strong>

**Ripple Effect  
>Chapter 3: As the Rain Falls Down<strong>

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><p><em>We all lose friends. We lose them in death, to distance and over time. But even though they may be lost, hope is not. The key is to keep them in your heart, and when the time is right, you can pick up the friendship right where you left off. Even the lost find their way home when you leave the light on.<em>

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><p>The rain fell in a heavy torrent upon the city as Inuyasha quickly made his way out of his apartment and down the concrete steps to where his car waited. He ignored the water dripping off his hair as he opened the door and slid inside.<p>

"Fucking weather," he grumbled as he turned up the heat and tried to dry off as much as possible. "Where the hell did this rain come from?"

So far, his night had gone to shit. After he parted ways with Miroku and Sango, he swung by the apartment building where he had made arrangements for a room, only to find out they had given it to another patron due to the fact his down-payment hadn't arrived on time. He made a mental note to strangle Myoga the next time he saw the old man.

Thankfully, the bookkeeper found they had another room available, although it was a little pricier than what he initially requested. It had a built in kitchen and furniture left over from the previous owners. Absolutely livid at the time, Inuyasha didn't care what the price was. As long as he was able to have a place to go to that wasn't related to his father's business, he was fine.

With that settled, he took a quick shower in his new apartment – which didn't turn out to be that bad – and quickly grabbed a map of Tokyo from the front desk before running out to his car.

Now, he sat with a map in one hand, Miroku's directions in the other and no fucking idea how the hell he was supposed to manage. He hadn't been in the city for years, and he never needed to know how to get around when he was younger.

He rolled his eyes. His return so far hadn't gone exactly according to plan. He had imagined that when he returned to Japan and met up with his old childhood friends, things would quickly fall back into place and they would pick up where they left off. He was beginning to see that would not be the case, evident of Kagome's unknown whereabouts.

Pushing all thoughts of misfortune from his mind, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes to try and read Miroku's handwriting, which was not only scribbled, but had gotten wet with the rain.

"Just great," he growled, turning on the windshield wipers and headlights before merging onto the street. He didn't even have the lecher's number to figure out exactly which direction to take.

Forty-five minutes later, an irate Inuyasha parked just a few streets over from his destination. He could honestly say he missed the easier parking in the States. Here, it was way too crowded and much harder to navigate through the large throng of people occupying the streets.

When he finally made it through Shibuya crossing and to the address on the piece of paper, Inuyasha was soaked to the bone. It was way past the time Sango and Miroku said they would be there, leaving the young business-man hoping he would find them.

His hopes were quickly dashed. As he rounded the final corner, the loud pounding of dance music blared throughout the street over the rainfall. Various clubs and bars met his eyes, accompanied by neon lights and cigarette smoke.

"There is no way in hell," he grumbled as he made his way closer to the entrance of Gaspanic. Sango and Miroku said there was going to be a party, not a fucking nightclub. Inuyasha had little money on him, and an ID that would do him no good in the alcohol department. He was definitely screwed.

A heavy-set man, who couldn't have been much older than Inuyasha, blocked the doorway to the club. "I need some identification," he said, running his hand through his hair, or what was left of it.

"Fuck off," Inuyasha snapped. "I'm lookin' for some friends."

The man blinked, a little taken aback by his language. "I would watch what you say," he warned with a steely glare, pointing a finger in the silver-haired man's direction. "My brother is the owner of this establishment and wouldn't think twice about killing you for that one. Do you even know who I am?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "No, and does it look like I care?"

Manten, as Inuyasha read on the guy's nametag, merely narrowed his eyes and peered down his nose. "I'm not letting you through."

He grabbed the short man by the hem of his shirt. "You're going to let me through; otherwise I'll stick my foot so far up your ass they'll think we're Siamese twins."

The bouncer quivered in his shoes for all of two seconds before quickly nodding his head. Inuyasha dropped him promptly on the ground and entered, leaving Manten to shakily stand and straighten out his shirt before discretely signaling for another bouncer.

Darkness enveloped the entire club, and from what Inuyasha could see by way of the neon lights, there were several floors to the place. People brushed against him as he tried to make his way to the bar, where he was sure to get a good look at the layout. He had never been to a Tokyo night club, but it wasn't too different from the underage ones in the United States.

Girls threw themselves at him, rambling on in half Japanese and half English. He wasn't sure what they were saying, and he was fluent in both languages. He merely brushed them off or gave them a cold stare, both which sent the girls high-tailing it to the next handsome man that walked through the door.

Inuyasha finally made it to the bar and glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of a familiar face. "What'll you have?" the bartender addressed him, drawing the business man's attention away from a young dark-haired woman.

"I'm not drinkin' tonight," was his reply.

The bartender raised a brow as his hand worked to clean the glass he held. "Nothin' to drink?" he questioned. "Maybe you're in the wrong place. Either you drink, or you get lost."

A scowl crossed his face. "What kind of rule is that?"

He shrugged. "I don't make up the rules, boy. I just follow 'em. So what'll it be?"

Inuyasha leaned against the bar and gazed at the man warily. "Just give me a beer," he said. "Cheapest you got."

The bartender nodded and placed an _Asahi _down in front of him. Inuyasha's expression twisted into disgust as he laid down a few yen and turned back toward the crowded club before he was asked for an ID.

There was no way in the seven hells he was going to be able to find Miroku and Sango in a place like this. It smelled of sweat and liquor, loose women alike were grinding against their man of choice, and the agonizing screech of the music hurt his ears. It was definitely not the best party scene. Inuyasha would know; he had his fair share.

"No way," he heard a man call out as he passed by. "It's Takahashi!"

Inuyasha's interest was piqued, and he turned around to be met by two boys his age. They looked vaguely familiar. One had a white-dyed Mohawk, and the other had a stripe of silver going through the center of his short-cropped hair. Inuyasha guessed he must have seen them around school or the city somewhere when he was little.

"Takahashi Inuyasha?" the second boy called, following his friend's eyes to where their topic of conversation stood. "No fuckin' way!"

"Do I know you?" Inuyasha demanded with a raised brow. He didn't have the patience to deal with these two idiots, and he was a little on edge thanks to Miroku and Sango's horrible planning. What the hell did they think they were doing, partying at a place like this? They were better off having a few drinks at an abandoned warehouse and risk being caught by the cops.

"Dude, we went to school together years ago," the guy with the mohawk answered. His smiled widened and he slapped a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "What the hell happened to you? We all thought you were dead or somethin'."

He narrowed his eyes. "I moved." These guys were obviously delusional, for Inuyasha remembered the week before he moved in which he said goodbye to all of his old classmates and acquaintances. Who the fuck were they anyways? He couldn't recall their names, and they had yet to inform him of them.

"I told you!" the second guy shouted before holding out his hand. "Pay up!"

"That bet was forever ago!" the first guy retaliated. "I don't owe you nothin'!"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Hey!" he yelled, interrupting their argument. "You guys obviously know me. So you must know Kagome, too."

The one with the mohawk fitted his hand around his chin in thought. "Kagome?" he said with hesitancy. He turned his eyes toward the guy next to him. "Ginta, wasn't she the girl Kouga was after a couple years back?"

"Now that I think about it," Ginta said while scratching his head. "I'm pretty sure that's the girl he's talking about."

"Kouga?" Inuyasha echoed. He hadn't seen the flea bag since the week he left, and even then they weren't exactly friends. It was more so of Kagome's doing that the two hung out, rather than the boys'. "What are you two talking about?"

Hakkaku shrugged. "According to the boss man, he and Kagome hooked up a while back."

Rage boiled in his blood. "What do you mean, 'hooked up'?" Inuyasha seethed with a fierce gleam in his eyes. He clenched his hands into fists and ground his teeth in an effort to keep his temper in check.

"Beats me," Ginta responded while taking a swig of beer. "Kouga never gave us the full story. Just said they had a real good time one night."

Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing. According to the two morons standing in front of him, the mangy wolf had gotten pretty close to Kagome during the past seven years. He should have seen it coming. Kouga was always making moves on her, even when they were kids. However, Inuyasha couldn't stop the twisting of his stomach at the thought of the two of them together.

"Where is he?" the business man demanded while taking a step forward.

Hakkaku held up his hands in mock defense. "Don't ask us, man. He comes and goes as he pleases."

"Yeah we haven't really seen him around lately." Ginta took a step back as Hakkaku stood protectively in front of him.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to reel in his hanger. "Fuck," he grumbled, ignoring their confused gazes. He turned away from them before cutting his way through the crowd. He didn't bother to glance back or pay attention to where he was going. He just needed to get away from them in order to collect his thoughts.

He wove in and out of the crowd for some time, warding off girls looking for a good lay, and trying to find Miroku and Sango. So far, he had no luck, and it was wearing on his last nerve.

Finally, after going through two floors and hundreds of people, Inuyasha came across a secluded booth in the corner on the opposite side where the DJ played. There sat his two childhood friends, each with a drink in their hands, looking pretty cozy together.

Sango snuggled into Miroku's side with one of her legs hanging across his lap. She was rambling on about something, missing the mischievous glint in the lecher's eyes. His hand wove around her waist and toward a place Inuyasha knew was going to get him in trouble.

Miroku's hand gripped her ass firmly; pulling her closer to him and effectively cutting her off mid-sentence. He groaned into her hair as his other hand made its way up beneath her shirt. That's when the shit hit the fan.

"Pervert!" the brunette screamed, followed by a loud smack as she quickly pushed away from him. "Always gotta ruin the mood."

Miroku rubbed his sore cheek sheepishly and tried to soothe her growing ire. "I apologize for my misconduct, my dear Sango. I could not help but admire the beauty of your body. Will you forgive a man for allowing his hands to speak?"

She rolled his eyes. "Same shit, different excuse. When will you grow up, Miroku?"

Inuyasha chose at this time to interrupt their little 'heart-warming' conversation, and slid into the booth opposite them. "What the hell were you two thinking?"

They both turned startled eyes toward him, having just noticed he was there. Inuyasha ignored the blush that darkened Sango's cheeks when she realized what he had witnessed. "Inu-Inuyasha," she stuttered as she tried to collect her thoughts. "You made it. We were getting worried."

"Yeah you two look real worried." He scoffed and leaned his cheek against his hand while placing his elbow on the table. He set his unopened beer on the table before fixating them with a hard glare. "Why in the seven hells are you two here?"

Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance. "What do you mean, Yash?" the dark-haired man said with a frown. "It's a club. Everyone from school comes here."

"You said it was going to be a party," he reminded. "I had to threaten a guy to get in here and buy the cheapest beer they had, which I don't even want, by the way."

"Whoa, calm down." Miroku raised his hands in mock surrender. "We didn't know you'd get so worked up over it."

"We assumed you knew it was a club because of its location," Sango informed with an apologetic gaze. "Shibuya is known for its nightclubs."

"I haven't been here for seven years and you expect me to know these things?" Inuyasha said exasperated. "Idiots." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, really wishing he had stayed home. Why didn't he? Oh yeah, because he hadn't seen his childhood friends in years, and he was eager to know where the fuck Kagome was all this time.

"Where is she?" he heard himself asking, barely audible above the music. His temper quelled some. He was tired of chasing the memory of a girl he used to know. He turned pleading amber eyes on them.

Sango furrowed her brows in confusion. "Where's who, Yash?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly who I'm talking about!" he yelled, slamming his fist against the table and gaining a few cautious glances of nearby patrons. "Where is Kagome?"

Something flickered in Sango's eyes and she threw Miroku a knowing look. A silent message passed between them as the brunette nibbled her lip. She turned her solemn gaze back toward the silver-haired man and sat up straighter. It looked as if she was about to say something, and it caused Inuyasha's heart-rate to intensify ten-fold.

"Inuyasha—"

Just then, the music changed to an upbeat techno mix, and Sango was immediately on her feet. "Oh, I love this song!" she screamed above the pounding of the bass, appearing as if she had totally forgotten about Inuyasha's presence. "Dance with me, Miroku!"

She didn't have to tell him twice. He was instantly by her side and pulling her into the middle of the dance floor. They were soon swallowed up by the sea of surrounding dancers, leaving Inuyasha alone in the booth.

"Damn it all," he grumbled under his breath. He had been so close. He could almost feel the answers on Sango's lips as she looked at him with that haunted gaze. What had happened in the last seven years to make her look like that? It was as if she had just lost her only friend in the world.

Inuyasha growled. Enough was e-fucking-nough. He had spent all day trying to get some sort of information about Kagome out of them, and as soon as he pops the question, they avoid it by running off. What was so hard about answering one little question, especially when it was the biggest question of them all?

He slammed his beer on the table as he stood. He wasn't about to waste another minute of his life in this place. Tomorrow, he would just have to tie his friends down and demand answers or there would be hell to pay.

As Inuyasha fumbled down the stairs to the first floor and made his way around the outer most wall of the club, he harshly bumped into a girl as she stepped in his way. A hiss escaped his lips as he hit his shoulder against the wall and turned heated amber eyes in her direction.

"Watch where you're going, bitch!" he growled, his hands clenched into fists.

The girl turned around to face him as her long, ebony hair fell softly over her shoulder. Her hazy agate eyes met his, and he could have sworn his heart stopped beating. There, in the middle of a crowded dance club, was the face of the little girl he left behind all those years ago.

No longer did her figure harbor the appearance of a ten-year-old. Instead she had the hourglass figure any woman would kill for. She was clothed in tight jeans and a black shirt that left little to the imagination, but there was no uncertainty in Inuyasha's mind. This was Kagome. This was the girl he had been searching for, the girl he had been longing to see since he pulled away in that limo.

"What the hell is your problem?" she shouted back above the music. "Why don't you be a gentleman for once and leave a girl alone?" She shot him a disgusted look before turning around. Laughter soon followed as she chatted with another young woman with short black hair and a red headband.

Inuyasha blinked with surprise and simply stared at her, confusion written plainly in his eyes. Didn't she recognize him? Sure, it had been a long time since they had last seen each other, but there weren't many people out there who had hair the color of silver and eyes the color of gold.

"Kagome," he breathed, feeling the familiar ring of her name roll across his tongue. "It's me."

She peered over her shoulder at him with a clouded gaze and a glass of some kind of liquor in her hand. She made no move toward him, and recognition didn't dawn in her eyes.

Inuyasha had half the mind to shake her out of whatever stupor she was in. "What's the matter with you?" he called, his brows furrowing with concern. "Don't you remember me?"

Kagome didn't even blink. It was beginning to unnerve him. It was then that the sweet scent of weed hit his nose, and he cursed every heavenly being there was. If she hadn't been the one smoking it (although her state of consciousness said otherwise), then she had to at least been around it.

"Fuck, Wench, what the hell did you do?" he demanded sharply, taking a step toward her and closing the distance between them. Her eyes flickered with fear for a moment as she turned around fully, but otherwise she didn't respond.

"Hey!" someone called over the crowd. Seconds later, a man with dark, braided hair and a purple diamond-shaped tattoo was at Kagome's side. He placed his hand on the small of her back and glared at Inuyasha. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he spit back.

A smirk settled on the newcomer's lips as he took in the silver-haired man's appearance. "Lookie here, fellas," he said, nodding in Inuyasha's direction as a group of people came up behind her. Six other men surrounded Kagome, each more odd than the last. They were of all ages, but definitely older than Inuyasha. "We've got ourselves a Takahashi boy."

The group laughed in Inuyasha's face as he glared at them, sizing up just how many he could take on at once.

"Aren't you a little lost?" the leader of the group said. "You rich types don't come around these parts."

"Is there a problem, Bankotsu?" a masculine voice said before any real trouble could begin.

Inuyasha whirled around to see a young man appearing to be in his early twenties. He had dark hair and a braid, too, but his eyes were a strange hue of burgundy. What was even worse was the fact that the bouncer Inuyasha had ruffed up when he arrived was standing at his side.

"That's him, big brother," Manten pointed with a chubby finger in Inuyasha's direction.

The taller man crossed his arms and frowned. "You picking on my brother?" he asked.

Inuyasha flexed his hands. "What's it to ya?"

Bankotsu scoffed and put his hands on his waist. "Get him out of here, Hiten. Punk's causing trouble."

Hiten didn't even ask Inuyasha his side of the story. The silver-haired man deduced that the two braided guys were friends. However, even though he was out numbered, he wasn't going down without a fight.

"I'm not leaving without Kagome," he growled, bending his knees into a fighting stance. It had taken him this long to find her. He wasn't losing her again.

"Is that so?" Bankotsu replied with a grin. He crossed his arms and cocked his head. "Maybe Kyokotsu will change your mind."

Out of the surrounding crowd came a large man, towering over everyone like a building. His shocking blue hair glowed under the dimmed lights and he grinned menacingly. However, Inuyasha was more so uneased by his great stature. The guy had to be a giant.

He strengthened his resolve. "Is that how you want to play it? Fine then, have it your way."

With a growl, Inuyasha charged forward with his hand clenched in a fist, and hit Kyokotsu square in the stomach. The man didn't even stumble, leaving the young business man to furrow his brows with confusion. "What the hell?"

"Is that all you got?" Kyokotsu's deep voice sounded over the music. "Pathetic."

Before Inuyasha could blink, a searing pain shot through his skull as he was thrown to the ground and a fist landed against his cheek. Dots clouded his vision and he struggled to tell which way was up.

"I don't want to see you around here again," he heard Hiten warn through the haze. "Otherwise you won't be so lucky next time."

Laughter followed and then they were gone. Inuyasha groaned and struggled into a sitting position, placing his hand to his head as he willed the dizziness to disperse. Who the hell were those guys? And what business did they have with Kagome?

With a few mumbled curse words, Inuyasha unsteadily rose and stalked out of the nearest exit without looking back. His head pounded and his pride was wounded, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Fuck!" he shouted as the metal door slammed shut behind him. His fist connected with the brick building next to the club in his rage. The pain was a mere twinge in the back of his mind even as a trickle of blood ran down his knuckles.

This was not supposed to happen. He couldn't believe that the sweet, innocent little girl he left standing on the curb years ago was the same person as the scantily-clad, alcohol drinking woman in the club. It just wasn't possible. The only things the two people shared in his mind was facial structure. Otherwise, they were complete opposites.

Kagome …

With an exasperated sigh, Inuyasha leaned his back against the building and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He closed his eyes and tried to level out his infuriation. Getting angry and upset would do Kagome no good.

_Maybe I have her mixed up_, he mused. There was that saying that everyone has a twin out there somewhere, right? However, in this case, he thought that highly doubtful. He had to come to terms with the fact that she was Kagome. That girl in there, who cursed him out and had her buddies get rid of him, was his best friend.

A growl reverberated low in his chest. Sango and Miroku were going to get the third-degree tomorrow that was for sure. What could have possibly happened in seven years that could change her so drastically? More importantly, why had no one contacted him? Why was he left out of the loop and totally clueless?

His thoughts were interrupted as the door was shoved open and out tumbled the girl who occupied his mind twenty-four-seven. The sounds of the techno music and dancers were shut out as the door closed behind her.

Kagome stumbled over to the opposite end of the alleyway, which Inuyasha just realized was filled with illegal drug substances and people looking for a fix. He could tell by their haggard appearances and unfocused gazes. Again, he asked himself what Miroku and Sango were thinking, going to a place like this.

He watched with cautious amber eyes as the raven-haired girl placed her hand against the wall of club Gaspanic and leaned over, suddenly retching everything out of her stomach. Inuyasha cringed as she puked out orange liquid, and was angered by the fact that no food substances came with it.

Come to think of it, as he looked her up and down once more, she appeared a little skinnier than the average girl. She was all angles and joints. His stomach churned at the thought.

"Hey, you all right?" he asked as he walked toward her, hoping to have a conversation with her now that her friends weren't around. "Kagome?"

When she finished emptying her stomach, she unceremoniously fell to the ground and pressed her forehead to the cool brick of the building. Her body slumped as she sat there with a blank expression.

Inuyasha knelt down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Can you hear me, Kagome?"

She didn't respond. Her lips moved sluggishly as she spoke whispered words, but he couldn't quite catch what she said. He looked around the dank alleyway, making note of the alluring glances thrown their way.

_I can't leave her here, _he decided. Without further hesitation, he carefully picked her up bridal style and began the trek out toward the main street.

Kagome didn't put up a struggle, but she stared up at him with a mournful look in her eyes. The carefree girl from his memories had vanished.

"Go to sleep, Kagome," he told her quietly, knowing the only thing that would cure her drunken state was time.

She nodded against his chest as she snuggled closer to him, wrapping her fist around his shirt. "Okay," she agreed. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Bu' I'll miss 'ou wh'n I wake up."

Inuyasha's brow rose in confusion. "Oi, Kagome, what are you talking about?"

His question went unanswered. Her breathing evened out and he knew she had fallen asleep.

"Fuck, Bankotsu," he growled bitterly, cursing the name of the man who appeared to be friends with Kagome at the very least. "Can't even come and check on her?"

With anger coursing through his veins, the young business man pushed passed the hundreds of people crowding the sidewalks. He ignored their worried glances at the unconscious girl in his arms. His only thought was to get her somewhere safe, somewhere he could get a hold of his thoughts and try to figure this mess out.

After going an around-about-way to avoid suspicion from a cop, Inuyasha finally made it to his car. He fumbled for the keys and unlocked the doors. With great caution and ease, he slid Kagome into the passenger seat.

"Inu … yasha," she mumbled as she shifted positions, falling into a fitful sleep once more.

He sighed and buckled her seatbelt before shutting the door and jumping into the drivers' seat. No time was wasted as he threw it into gear and sped out of Shibuya, eager to reach his apartment.

An overflow of thoughts swirled through his mind as he tried to figure out what it all meant. It wasn't every day you found your best friend in this state of condition after not seeing her for some time.

_It's my fault, _Inuyasha concluded solemnly. If he had fought harder to change his father's mind, if he had persuaded his mother to let him stay behind, or even if he had forced his brother to leave without him … Maybe he could have prevented whatever it was that changed Kagome.

Inuyasha looked over at the girl in the passenger seat as he came to a red light. Her dark ebony hair fell softly around her shoulders, and her cream-colored skin shimmered under the dull street lights. Pouty lips moved slowly as she mumbled in her sleep.

He couldn't deny that she had turned into a beautiful young woman, and it hurt for him to admit that he hadn't been around to play the role of best friend while she was growing up. Her brows furrowed in her sleep, and he lightly took her hand in his, hoping to soothe whatever nightmare plagued her dreams.

She tightened her hand around his and held on.


	4. Welcome Home

A/N: Here is another chapter, readers. Unfortunately, this is the last chapter I have written out in advance, so it may be a while before the next installment comes around. In the meantime, hope you enjoy it.**  
><strong>

**Ripple Effect  
>Chapter 4: Welcome Home<strong>

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><p><em>We can never say how far our friendship would go and how long we'd stay together. All I know is that even when we're miles apart, you'll still be my best friend forever.<em>

* * *

><p>Inuyasha knew as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was going to be up all night. The left-over recliner from the previous owners smelled like mildew and it was torn from years of use. But he knew that wasn't the only reason why he couldn't fall asleep. Knowing Kagome was sleeping in the next room would not allow his mind to rest. Too many thoughts kept him awake, and his heart pounded with anxiety.<p>

After listening to the second hand of the clock tick continuously for twenty minutes, Inuyasha rose from his restless sleep and slipped on his shoes. He locked the apartment door behind him, went to the nearest all-night place, and bought two large energy drinks. It was going to be several hours until daylight.

With nothing better to do, and deciding to be somewhat productive, Inuyasha pulled out his cell phone as he entered his apartment once more. _"You've reached the Tetsusaiga Corporation. This is Rin, how may I be of service?" _came the secretary's bubbly voice through the receiver.

"Don't you ever sleep?" he asked gruffly as he tossed his keys on the kitchen counter and shuffled to the living room.

"_Inuyasha! What a pleasant surprise to be hearing from you." _He rolled his eyes at Rin's ecstatic tone. _"Although, if I may ask, why are you calling in the middle of the night?"_

He cringed as he sat down on the couch and set his purchases on the coffee table. "Keep your voice down, Rin," he grumbled. "You tryin' to wake the dead?"

"_My apologies, sir," _she replied quickly and at a lower volume. _"I tend to have quite a bit of sugar and caffeine to stay awake during the night hours."_

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed as he screwed off the cap to one of his _Lipovitan._ "Do you work twenty-four hours or something?"

"_No, I do need to eat and sleep, Inuyasha,"_ Rin joked with a chuckle. _"When I have to work long hours due to paperwork, Mr. Sesshomaru is generous enough to give me a room upstairs. I have little need to leave the building save for errands."_

He rolled his eyes. "What an asshole."

"_Mr. Sesshomaru is actually quite kind." _Inuyasha almost gagged at the praise in her voice. _"He takes care of me."_

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He took a large swig of his drink. "I didn't call you to hear you praise my bastard of a brother."

She giggled. "_Why is it you called me then, Inuyasha?"_

"I need a couple of phone numbers." He reached for the crumbled paper bag and pulled out his receipt for his late-night purchase. He flipped it over before scanning the apartment to where a pen might be.

"_Hm … I suppose I can log into our database and pull up a search engine. But it depends on whose numbers you're looking for."_

"Houshi Miroku and Taijiya Sango," he said as he walked into the kitchen and pulled open some drawers.

A few light clicks on the other end indicated she was typing. "_Mind if I ask why you're looking for these numbers in particular?"_

"Just some old friends," he replied vaguely.

It wasn't as if he didn't like Rin. It was hard not to like the bubbly girl, even if she did kiss the ground his half-brother walked on. Inuyasha just wasn't the type of person to go blabbing about his personal business, especially with those associated with work.

"_Well, neither Ms. Taijiya nor Mr. Houshi is coming up in our database."_

"Damn," Inuyasha growled while running a hand through his hair. "Can't you tap into the city directory or something?"

"_I'm not a phonebook, Inuyasha," _she replied.

"I don't exactly have one lying around, Rin," he bit back with frustration.

"_Well, maybe it's time you went out and bought one." _Suddenly, she paused, and Inuyasha heard low voices in the background. She was speaking with someone and had obviously covered the mouthpiece to muffle the words. _"Look, Inuyasha," _she said distractedly. _"I have to get back to work. If all else fails, find a phone booth. They always have a list of numbers. Have a good night!" _With that, the line went dead.

Inuyasha pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it for a moment. "Thanks for nothing," he grumbled as he flipped it shut and slipped it back into his pocket.

With a deep sigh, he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. It was still dark out, leaving Inuyasha to ponder if he wanted to go on a hunt for a phone book. There was a chance that all-night place would have one.

He honestly didn't want to leave the apartment, though. Kagome could wake up while he was gone. If she did, there was a high probability that she would freak and run before he returned. He wasn't sure if he wanted to risk it. It was hard enough to track her down the first time.

"Fuck," he growled as he ran a hand down his face and stood. Retrieving Sango and Miroku's numbers were crucial. He wanted to question them about Kagome's past and what exactly went down while he was gone. He couldn't count on Kagome to give him all the details. After all, if she were so open about it, he wouldn't be in this predicament.

It was decided. He quickly walked out of his apartment and made his way down the stairs. The faster he found the numbers, the faster he could return to Kagome's side.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

She was slipping. She knew it the moment he locked gazes with her; the very moment agate collided with amber. The darkness began to swallow them whole as the music pounding around them faded to a low hum, and the neon lights turned to black. He flashed his signature smirk as his silver hair caressed his cheek.

It was different from the dreams she had over the years. He was no longer the eleven-year-old boy she said goodbye to. This time, he was a grown man. His strong arms would protect her from the world, his eyes promised to drag her up from the ocean depths, and his smile sought her happiness.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter and pulled the blanket over her head, trying desperately to block out the intruding sunlight. Her mind grasped fervently at unconsciousness, wanting nothing more than to return to a place where everything was right with the world. Her dreams brought a smile to her lips and warmth in her chest.

Since Kagome was a little girl, the nightmares that plagued her would cause her to wake up in a cold sweat with her heart pounding in agonizing pain. Memories would come at her full force, and goose bumps would rise on her skin. Shivers ran down her spine and tears welled in her eyes. It was never easy when the dreams came, especially when the final memory of her best friend would resurface.

_That's when it all started._

A sigh escaped her lips as she opened her eyes, tracing her gaze over the embedded pattern stitched into the gray comforter. She tried to ignore the familiar pounding in her head and the cotton-like taste in her mouth. Her limbs felt sluggish, so she took her time waking up. It was how her mornings started most days of the week. Not exactly her cup of tea, but she did it for reasons she wouldn't admit.

Last night was strange and oddly confusing. Kagome recalled going to the club with her boyfriend and meeting up with their mutual friends. However, after more than a few drinks, courtesy of the owner, her mind became a little fuzzy.

She could have sworn on everything that was holy that Inuyasha had been at the club last night. His molten amber eyes and stunning silver hair could never be mistaken for anyone else. But he couldn't have possibly been there. After all, he was with his family in the States. He was never coming back.

"Damn it," she mumbled softly while flipping over onto her back. She hated when Inuyasha decided to meander into her thoughts. It usually left her feeling heartbroken and empty the remainder of the day. Those also happened to be the worst days, where she would seek out some sort of reprieve. She cringed.

With a frustrated growl, she threw the covers off her head and sat up. However, with a start she realized that she was not in her bedroom. Instead of the carpet being a dull gray shade and piled with dirty clothing, it was a rich brown and free of debris. There were no pictures tacked to the walls, or rarely used textbooks piled on the desk.

In fact, she had no idea whose bedroom she was currently sitting in.

Kagome swallowed against the dryness in her throat as the wheels in her mind began turning fervently. What happened last night? She vaguely remembered stumbling out of the club into the alleyway to throw up, but after that it was a complete blank. Never before had she awoken in a strange place due to a night of drinking. Where was Bankotsu, or her other friends for that matter? Shouldn't they have done something? Were they looking for her?

"Okay, Kagome," she whispered to herself as she swung her legs off the side of the bed. "Calm down. This is just a misunderstanding. Surely everyone is sitting in the next room, right?"

In the back of her mind, she highly doubted it. She knew her friends' behavior. They only hung out in Bankotsu's basement. So she was sure this couldn't have been some prank. If it was, it was a _really _bad one.

Relief flooded through her veins though, as she realized her clothes from the previous night were still intact. The only things that had been removed were her shoes, which she quickly found and slipped back on.

She bit her lip and looked around the room. It was pretty bare save for a few pieces of worn furniture. No personal items existed, leaving Kagome clueless as to who the owner could be. It definitely didn't put things in her favor.

Kagome quickly made her way toward the single window in the room. Unfortunately, when she looked out to the street below, she saw that she was three stories high. Skyscrapers rose above the surrounding area as cars zoomed through the city below.

Home was definitely nowhere near her location, which meant Bankotsu and the others weren't with her. Very rarely did they venture far from the neighborhood, at least, not with her.

Spinning around, the ebony-haired girl sighed and leaned against the window ledge. "Think, Kagome," she whispered.

She had no idea where she was, who she was with, or how she got there. She had virtually no way to contact any of her friends either. Conclusion: she was royally fucked.

"Just great," she grumbled.

Her agate eyes landed on the door, which she assumed led out into an apartment of sorts. Kagome steeled her nerves and hesitantly walked toward the door. She pressed her ear up against it, listening to any movements or sounds that would indicate another person's presence.

"_I don't know what the hell you two are trying to pull," _a masculine voice was saying. Kagome could easily detect his part of the conversation because he didn't bother keeping quiet while yelling at whoever enraged him.

There was a length of silence before he spoke again. _"You're an idiot. Last night was completely fucked up and was definitely not a welcome party."_

Another pause. Kagome figured he must be on the phone with someone.

"_Screw it, it doesn't matter. Just put your girlfriend on the phone."_

The man slammed something down on a table and a crumple of paper could be heard shortly afterward.

"_Damn it, I ain't stupid! I saw how the two of you were behaving last night. Just put her on before I come over there and kick your sorry ass."_

Okay, so whoever the man was talking to had to be a friend, or at least an acquaintance of some sort. The two weren't on the best of terms, it seemed, and Kagome could only hope that the man's rage would not be directed at her.

"_Your boy-toy has a few screws loose in the head," _he said gruffly to who Kagome assumed was the girlfriend.

"_Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, I don't give a flying fuck about the shit that went down last night. There's more important things to do than yell at you for trying to pull one over on me. I found Kagome."_

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat as she heard her name. This man had been looking for her? As far as she knew, she had no real enemies; none that would seek her out anyways. Quickly going through a list of people that she had met over the last few years, no one immediately came to mind.

"_What do you mean, 'what do you mean'? It's exactly how I said it. I ran into Kagome at the club last night."_

"The club?" Kagome murmured, feeling her face drain of color. Whoever this guy was, he had been watching her. That thought caused a shiver to shoot down her spine. She had obviously been kidnapped. There was no other explanation.

" … _a lot of explaining to do. I'll be asking her as soon as she wakes up," _he said as she tuned back into the conversation.

"_Yeah, she's at my place. Where else would I have brought her passed out drunk? It's not like I know where she lives." _His retort was bitter, and Kagome could almost feel his pent up frustration.

Well, one thing was clear. The man, whoever he was, intended to interrogate her once he knew she was awake. About what, she had no idea, but it didn't matter. Her only concern was leaving as soon as possible and without being detected.

Eyeing the window, Kagome moved toward it, only to lose her balance and fall gently into the door. She cringed, hoping the man in the other room hadn't heard the soft thump, and held her breath.

"_Hey, I think she's up. I'll call you later." _

Kagome's hopes were in vain and she felt anxiety grip her heart. Paralyzed with fear, she could only dart her eyes around the room, looking for some sort of escape route as footsteps neared the door.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Inuyasha flipped his cell phone shut and stared at the door leading to his bedroom. His heart pounded furiously in his chest as he swallowed passed the lump in his throat. The thump that came from within his room indicated that Kagome was up, and it was time to talk to her face-to-face.

Steeling his resolve to knock some sense into her, Inuyasha slipped his cell phone in his pocket and started toward the door. He listened intently for a moment for any signs of movement, but only silence met his ears. With a deep breath, he cautiously entered.

"Kagome?" he called quietly in case she was still asleep. He quickly glanced around the room, but found the bed to be empty and his best friend nowhere to be found.

Inuyasha furrowed his brows and opened the door fully before stepping into the room. "Kagome?"

The next thing he knew, there was a loud crash, and a sharp pain shot through his head at the speed of a bullet. He stumbled forward with surprise before steadying himself on the bed.

"Fuck!" he cried out in pain as his hand flew to the back of his skull where the throbbing sensation came from.

He swung his gaze behind him with fury, only to see his best friend standing there with a shattered lamp at her feet, and a startled expression on her face.

"What the hell, Kagome?" he yelled, turning to face her while rubbing his head. He winced as another throb of pain rocketed through his head.

"Inu-Inuyasha?" Her voice was barely an audible whisper as she stared at him in utter shock. "Is that you?"

"Of course it's me, wench," he replied harshly, using the nickname he had developed for her during childhood. "Who else would it be?"

She stared at him, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. "I … I …" She bit her lip to quiet her words and shook her head quickly before turning and running out the door.

Inuyasha was shocked still for all of two seconds before he bounded after her. "Kagome!" he called, reaching out and grabbing her wrist, spinning her around to face him. "What's your problem?"

Her hand came up at an alarming speed, and suddenly pain resonated through his cheek. His eyes turned wide as she stood there, her arm still raised, with a film of tears in her eyes. He was shocked beyond belief. However, it was not because she had dared to smack him, but at the fact that in her eyes was the look of betrayal, of someone whose trust was broken beyond repair.

"Kagome?" he mumbled quietly, bringing his free hand to his face.

"Let me go, Inuyasha," she demanded, seemingly not aware of the tears that trailed down her cheeks.

His brows furrowed and a look of confusion passed over his eyes. Expecting her to jump into his arms the moment they reunited wasn't really a long shot, especially since they had been so close before. To see her like this caused his heart to ache.

Too confused to do anything else, he did as she asked. Without a moment to spare, she turned around and stormed toward the door.

"Kagome, wait!" he called, following after her.

She placed her hand on the door knob and looked over her shoulder, shooting him a look so cold he felt his blood turn to ice. "Don't look for me."

Just like that, she was gone. The door swung shut behind her, leaving Inuyasha standing alone.


End file.
